Question:
Concerned about gas?

Help!!! I am newly engaged, I have told the fiance that passing gas is not acceptable infront of one another. My ex-husband never did it in front of me nor did I in from of him. However, I hear all these people saying how terrible the gas pains are and I know how awful they can be pre-op, let alone after surgery. the fiance is the only one going to be with me at the hospital, how can I release the "tension" without being so embaressed. OMG    — I U. (posted on January 21, 2003)

January 20, 2003
Passing gas after WLS is NOT optional. ;) Perhaps you can tell him that "you feel one coming on" and to exit out of the room until the air clears. lol How I miss those days of the "sonic booms" that rattled the timbers of the house. I have five cats and a dog. You should have been there when the glass rattled and sleepy heads popped up (with blinking wide eyed amazement) cranking their heads around to see what woke them up. And then the aroma filled the air and they all turned to look at me as if to say "Dad the litter box is that way. Don't you think you should use it?" So tell him to leave the room for a bit until it is safe to return. You will need to expel the gas, and you don't wish to be rude. Just be honest. I bet he will get a kick out of it. lol (I know I would).
   — Danmark

January 21, 2003
i have a friend who had wls and is now engaged. She told her honey that he would have to take her farts along with her..LOL..I had wls 5 mths ago, I don't fart a terrible lot but I don't think it can be avoided either. I am not going to give myself a tummy ache because of it. I would leave the room if it embarrassed me. Mostly, I just wouldn't worry about it. We all do it at some time or other..Good luck and don't worry about it..
   — Sharon1964

January 21, 2003
Daniel, that's the funniest story!! Thought I'd never stop laughin'!! :o)
   — Cat S.

January 21, 2003
heya hun.. i am also a person.. who never, ever passed gas around anyone even my husband of 4 years.. but after surgery i just couldnt help it.. but for me it was more burping than farting.. god just to talk about it is awful.. but i was mortified.. but when i brought it up with my hubby he said we knew it would happen.. and it wasnt really me it was the surgery..so maybe if you just prepare him before it happens.. explain you wont be able to help yourself... cause unfortunatly for me.. i did not know when it was coming.. it just came out.. but now at 10 weeks post op.. it rarely happens anymore..Hope this helps..*huggles and bb*
   — johanna F.

January 21, 2003
After living for many years with a man who thought "pull me finger" was hysterical, I found all this loud bodily funciton quite distasteful. Not the functions, but the ritual! Then I married a man who (amazingly) ALSO has air to pass, one way or another. He says, "Pardon me", and minimizes. Stuff happens. I'm a DISTAL, for goodness sake. As is he now. We both offer an apology. No, it doesn't help the aroma, but it does help us maintain our dignity. In 21 yrs, he has NEVER asked me to pull his finger. ANd he's never come home from work with "guess who let the biggest one today?" stories. I went thru what you're going thru at first, but then I realized it's no worse than having to use the bathroom for the serious stuff. It's possible to maintain your dignity and still have a funcitonal body. But it'll last longer if you don't ask him to pull your finger. Know what I mean? <wink>
   — vitalady

January 21, 2003
Hi there, Tina! Girl, I know what you mean. I used to hate when it was done to me, I grew up where it was absolutely improper. After surgery, when I was in the hospital, the surgeon kept hearing my stomach and would ask if I had passed gas yet. Sure enough in walked my family, so I would wait and wait, finally one of the nurses told me I HAD TO DO IT or the doc would keep me in longer. So I went to the bathroom and let it go, apologizing and feeling good. My husband's eyes never got so big! lol My Mom and niece's jaws both dropped. I was told that instead of having the gas get trapped and hurt you on the inside, let it loose and hurt the atmosphere for just a little while on the outside. Like someone else said, if you can excuse yourself do that, turn on the shower or faucet to hide the noise, because there's no guarantee that it'll be a silent one, sometimes my husband thinks I've stepped on the cat and it's whincing and yowling in pain!! hehe Or as Daniel said ( which was funny BTW, Daniel) you'll get odd looks. As improper as it was for me, I need the relief and you will too! Vi open RNY 9/23/02 down 93 lbs.
   — Vi F.

January 21, 2003
ViFE, I'm on the phone while reading your post. I'm covering my mouth and trying not to laugh out loud. I can picture the air sounding like a cat screen. (Wiping the tears). lol
   — Danmark

January 23, 2003
Maybe I am weird...but I don't get how you can be MARRIED to someone and not feel comfortable passing gas in front of them? Obviously you don't want to be like "oh man I gotta let out a nasty FART" lol But EVERYONE passes gas...
   — fropunka

January 23, 2003
Rosie, you are not wierd. Gas is normal. Gas must escape. Gas is a FACT OF LIFE. It's a body function! Sorry if it stinks, but come on- how can you honestly say to your life partner "You cannot release gas in front of me EVER"... and I won't in front of you. It's like saying you cannot breathe in front of me! Ridiculous! I guess I have no shame, I don't even shut the bathroom door in front of my husband to do my business, nor does he.. when one of us do shut the door- it's like "what's wrong!" I am just of the opinion that keeping that stuff inside your body is worse off your bowels than some one else's nose! Lettem' rip, you'll feel soooo much better. PS- On a serious note, I did not encounter a noticable increase of gas after my surgery and perhaps you will not either.
   — Karen R.

January 23, 2003
Honest to God...I had NO gas after my surgery. Don't know if it was because I had mine done LAP, but, no gas, whatsoever. Then again, maybe it's just me, because I had no gas either when I had my tubes tied (and I was warned by my doctor that I would have a worse gas problem afterwards than most because they wouldn't be able to push most of the gas out of my abdomen because of all my fat). As a matter of fact, I had no gas at all for about the first 5 months after my WLS. I used to joke that I had built-in Beano. But alas, that function has returned to normal, though I do have less gas now than before surgery (probably from either eating less food or the type of foods I eat now).
   — Cyndie K.

January 23, 2003
Daniel, you are a hoot! My little Chihuahua puppy, Pedro has suffered the most I think since he insists on sleeping in my lap under the afghan (which results in, as my husband calls it "a dutch oven"). My DH and I have one solid rule when it comes to passing gas, if you do it in the car that window goes down immediately, no matter how friggin' freezin' it is Mr. Bigglesworth! There is some little catch phrase I used to hear when I was younger about it's better to bear the shame than hold it in and bear the pain? Post-WLS we are talking serious pain at times! :o - Anna
   — Anna L.

January 24, 2003
I don't mean any disrespect, but uh, for one thing you're getting ready to have STOMACH SURGERY, you're going to have gas. For 2, gas is something everyone and every animal does pass from time to time. I'm sure your fiance' is an intelligent person and will realize that you can't always hold it in. It doesn't mean that you have to raise your leg and let it rip....but come one now! Get a can of airfreshener for the hospital room and some potpouri for the house. YOu'll be fine!
   — Lisa E.

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